AMPLIFIED COVID-19 FEW INSECURITIES ON THE NAVAJO NATION AND INCREASING INDIGENOUS RESILIENCE
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
COVID-19 amplifies health, social, food, energy and water insecurities across the world and disproportionately impacts Indigenous communities. On the Navajo Nation, COVID-19 has been rampant on the largest tribe in the United States.
While infection rates have slowed, the experts, including tribal leaders, expect outbreaks to occur again. In order to slow the spread of COVID-19 and increase the resilience of Navajo communities, it is critical to investigate the primary factors increasing risks to COVID-19 and identify resilience factors of Navajo communities to recover from pandemics. The vision for this project is to increase Indigenous community resiliency to pandemics/disasters and support desired transformation of health, socioeconomic, and food-energy-water (FEW) systems. This project, informed by tribal leaders, health and social service entities, Navajo civic entities, and nonprofits, aims to work collaboratively with the Navajo Nation to develop place-based, data-driven community Indigenous resilience efforts including mitigation efforts, public education, training, and interventions.
GOAL:
●Mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and other outbreaks on The Navajo Nation.
●Increase Indigenous community resilience to pandemics by establishing smart, connected, off-grid Solar-Water-Greenhouse units that are designed, built and operated by Diné citizens.
OBJECTIVES:
1: Identify environmental and individual risk factors for COVID-19 infection and death by Navajo local governmental Chapter (communities) on The Navajo Nation within 6 months.
2: Identify Chapter-specific environmental health education mechanisms, messaging and interventions to mitigate risk factors for COVID-19 infection and death on The Navajo Nation within 8 months. Survey government leaders and first responders (total ~25) in Chapters with highest risks on the phone or internet to identify best methods for messaging.
3: Develop, implement, and determine effectiveness of culturally appropriate environmental health messaging to prevent COVID-19 infection and death among Navajo Nation residents within 12 months, and ongoing. Hold ~3 focus groups with ~10 Chapter leaders and members where messaging implement to evaluate effectiveness.
4: Understand Navajo perceptions to SWG units and pilot in three Navajo chapters, measure Indigenous focused, place-based, data-driven community FEW resilience indicators before and after SWG FEW interventions.
CONTACT
Karletta Chief, Associate Professor & Extension Specialist
Dept of Environmental Science
PI of NSF NRT Indige-FEWSS
PROJECT TEAM
1.Jani Ingram (Diné)
2.Rickie Camplain (Comanche)
3.Stephanie Carroll (Ahtna/Native Village of Kluti-Kaah)
4.Karletta Chief,(Diné)
5.Vicky Karanikola
6.Andrew Curley (Diné)
7.Paloma Beamer
8.Rachelle Begay (Diné)
9.Nikki Tulley (Diné)
10.Christopher Yazzie (Diné)
11.Beth Tellman
12.Joe Hoover
13.Randall Akee (Native Hawaiian)
14. Robert Arnold,
15.Kim Ogden
16.Kelly Simmons-Potter
17. Murat Kacira
18. Beth Tellman
19. Johnnye Lewis
20. Ronson Chee (Diné)
FUNDING
1) “Haury Program Director’s Award for Graduate Student Support-$18K” overseen by Dr. Karletta Chief and hired Trainee Nikki Tulley (Diné).
2) “Navajo COVID-19 Water Needs Mapping-$87K” led by Dr. Karletta Chief with partners at Montana State University-Billings, Northern Arizona University, University of New Mexico, and Southwest Research and Information Center.
3) “Off-grid Water Purification Units-$40K” led by Dr. Vicky Karanikola along with Robert Arnold, Karletta Chief, Kim Ogden, and Kelly Simmons-Potter.
4) “Investigating linkages between arsenic exposure, diabetes, and COVID-19 infections and risks on the Navajo Nation-$384K” led by Dr. Stephanie Carroll (UArizona) and Dr. Jani Ingram (NAU) along with Dr. Karletta Chief (UArizona), Dr. Paloma Beamer (UArizona), and Ricky Camplain (NAU).
